Feast of Saint Lawrence, deacon and martyr
It is no secret that we are currently undergoing hard economic times. All the more reason for us to consider giving more to the poor than we already do. When we think about the poor, we often think about people far away whom we will likely never meet, or perhaps a beggar on the street whom we have in fact met. But there are many who are poor in a variety of ways among us at all times. Moreover, there are many ways we can give to the poor.
In today’s first reading from St. Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians, we hear how God loves one who gives with joy, “God loves a cheerful giver” (9:7). The immediate context of our passage for today is in the context of the mission field, but it can be applied more broadly speaking, especially considering that the whole world is a great mission land, especially wherever we find ourselves.
We need to do a better job of helping those in most need around us. Of course we need to contribute to help those far away, but we need to take care especially of those we encounter. It is not good to neglect the needs of those with whom we come into contact on a frequent basis. To the spiritually poor, we need to help direct to the font of spiritual life, Jesus particularly in the Sacraments. To the materially poor we need to help provide for their material needs as well.
When we encounter the stranger, the beggar, on the road, perhaps we can get them some food if they are hungry. We can help meet their physical need (which is also spiritual since it constitutes a corporal work of mercy) by giving them food, and maybe we can meet another spiritual need for them by silently offering a prayer as they receive the nourishment they need.
But chances are there are people who are struggling, even financially, in our very midst among our family and friends. Perhaps there’s a way we can help them out. Even if our own finances are so tight at this moment, perhaps we can help them in another material way, by offering our time or services to help clean their house, help watch and take care of their children, cook some meals, pick up their groceries, etc. We can be creative, and even if we don’t have a penny to contribute, we can take some of the burden off. We can do some of these things even if we ourselves are struggling during these hard times. This is all a part of what it means to die to self, which is the focus, at least at a moral or tropological level, of Jesus’ teaching in today’s Gospel reading from St. John.
Today we celebrate the feast of St. Lawrence. When St. Lawrence was asked to turn over the Church’s treasury and riches, he brought forward the poor, the downtrodden, and the sick among the Church’s flock, explaining that here, among the poor and suffering, are the riches of the Church. For his fidelity to Christ, St. Lawrence was roasted alive. Taking St. Lawrence’s example to heart, let us generously give to the poor, especially the poor in our midst.
- Jeff Morrow